Officers arrested 23-year-old Bobby Witherspoon, 21-year-old Nikita Shybanau and 18-year-old Mary Hitt at a residence in the 400 block of West Wilson Avenue.

In a press release, Sgt. Jed McLaughlin said officers and detectives responded to the residence to serve a search warrant. During a search of the residence, officers reportedly found a loaded 12-gauge shotgun. Several inches of the shotgun barrel had allegedly been removed, and the altered length of the barrel was 13 ½ inches. The shotgun was confirmed stolen out of Los Angeles County.

All three suspects are charged with possession of a short-barreled shotgun and receiving stolen property.

Witherspoon is also charged with felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition.

Shybanau is also charged with resisting, delaying or obstructing a peace officer. He is also on probation for failure to appear.

They were transported to the Kern County Jail in Ridgecrest where they were incarcerated.

Witherspoon is free on bail. Shybanau is in custody in lieu of $25,000 bail, and Hitt is in custody in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Arraignment for Shybanau and Hitt is scheduled for Thursday in Kern County Superior Ridgecrest Branch.

McLaughlin said two other subjects located at the residence were questioned and later released.